THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

December 19, 2015

I am always amazed when I see Christmas goods in the stores in the month of October and Christmas lights decorating the outside of people’s houses prior to Thanksgiving. As many people confess, Christmas time has become so commercialized that many have forgotten what Christmas represents. Therefore, I am going to do this blog on, “The Reason for the Season.”

The exact birth date of Jesus has been questioned by many biblical scholars. However, the first celebrations of Christ’s birth were initially grouped together with Epiphany, one of the earliest feasts of the Christian church which was held on January 6. Also, the first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336AD, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine and a few years later, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on December 25th. For believers the birth date does not matter; what is important to us is that He was born with a purpose.

When God created man in His image, and after His likeness He gave him a mandate, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28). He also gave Adam these instructions, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Genesis 3 records the failure of man to obey these instructions, and consequently, he began the death process, and the man lost dominion.

Thankfully, and mercifully God had a plan of redemption and restoration for man, and it entailed the birth of His son Jesus Christ. Long before His birth, Isaiah prophesied, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

When the time was right, Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem of Judaea. He grew up in Nazareth, and at age thirty He began His earthly ministry. His first message is found in Matthew 4:17, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (KJV). The Message Bible states this verse, “This Isaiah-prophesied sermon came to life in Galilee the moment Jesus started preaching. He picked up where John left off: Change your life. God’s kingdom is here” and the Amplified Bible says, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “[a]Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Throughout His three year ministry, Jesus preached the kingdom of heaven/ the kingdom of God. This kingdom message is about a King, His kingdom and His royal family. It is how God sent Jesus to earth to not only redeem man but to help men get back to God’s original mandate which is dominion. Man’s responsibility is to fill the world with the glory of God via influence, control, and rulership.

So, I encourage you to remember “THE REASON FOR THE SEASON” and not be like the world who thinks Christmas is a time of gathering, eating, drinking, giving and receiving gifts. Jesus was born for more than these things.